Children of Fire
by LoveroftheFlame
Summary: A Day of Sozin's Comet fic. Originally written for the Avatar100 challenge: Elemental. Not Zucest. What if Zuko and Azula were still ruling Ba Sing Se when the comet arrives?
1. Her

**A/N: **This two-shot is a collaboration between Drygon and myself. We loved the "Elemental" prompt given at the Avatar100 LJ comm and decided it really lent itself to the comet and the fire siblings. So we decided to write stories from each of their POV's. I have permission to post her companion to my fic here. She wrote Zuko's POV and I did Azula's. Enjoy!

(My first real attempt at action... be kind please.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar - the Last Airbender and this is just for fun not profit.

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**Her**

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The sun rose high and bright the day the comet was to arrive as if in welcome of its coming celestial visitor, illuminating the elegant chambers that formerly belonged to the Earth King. Azula faced the dawn with a wicked glee. Her body thrummed with anticipation. Today was the day, the day that would bring an end to this ridiculous war and finally break the back of their enemies. 

_Today is the day the Avatar will die._

When they received word that the Avatar had survived her attack and was heading for the shores of the Fire Nation, she was angry to say the least. The infirmary had never seen so many burn injuries before. She quickly got over her rage however, when Ty Lee of all people brought it to her attention that once Sozin's comet came the irritating young Airbender was sure to meet his doom.

A smile crawled across her face at the thought of the Avatar's inevitable demise. She only wished she could be there to see it.

She became increasingly edgy as the day wore on and was finally driven to her chambers to try and calm her nerves. Stripping off outer robes suddenly too constricting to endure, she lay back on her bed, legs sliding agitatedly against sheets of the deepest green. Her roving eyes were drawn to the large windows across the room and she felt an instant and nearly overpowering urge to see the sky. She sat up only to lie back down when the room swam before her gaze.

With both hands she shakily pushed back her hair, released from its bun by her restless tossing, and took a deep breath.

Her flesh was tingling, tiny sparks of electricity crackling along her nerve endings in a way that was both painful yet oddly pleasurable. Every hair was standing on end, an army of goose bumps rising to dance across her skin, skin that abruptly felt too tight to bear. She was vibrating with tension, like a spring that had been wound too tight. She felt ready to burst from the intensity.

And the heat, the heat was unbearable, burning her from the inside out. Her nails ripped into the fine silk of her bedding as she arched and moaned, yet another tidal wave of fire flooding her body.

_Oh Gods… what is happening to me?_

Eventually, she could no longer tolerate staying still. The sun had gone down and she had the overwhelming desire to see the heavens. To watch Agni's blessing ignite the sky. She was nearly running by the time she reached the closest open area. Mai and Ty Lee were shocked to see her so frenetic as she pushed past them in her haste to reach the outdoors.

The ancient arena was empty, it had not seen true combat in many a year but over the grander course of time the battles had been countless, the great stone edifice keeping an ever silent vigil over them all. However, the event it would bear testament to that night would out shine any that had come before it. Ghosts of majestic warriors from the past lingered in the deepening shadows, enticing the young woman to join them as she ran to the center of the stadium and stared upwards into the dark blue expanse.

She was filled to overflowing with energy. Her heart pounded, her breathing unsteady. She felt fevered, her body throbbing with rhythmic pulses of incandescent heat. She frantically searched the sky until she spotted the ball of fire curving across the horizon. As it grew ever larger, seeming to dwarf the waning moon, she could feel the inferno within her clamoring for escape.

The night air surrounding her began to shimmer, a directionless breeze suddenly lifting her hair to swirl around her head and causing what remained of her clothing to flutter about her body. She raised hands sheathed in blue fire and saw the flames stealing up her arms, but felt no pain, only relief and an elation that she had never experienced before.

Her head jerked to the left as she saw in the distance twin flames racing along the wooden rails of the steps leading into the stadium. She was oblivious to the screams of fear that arose from the few spectators who had followed her when the inferno leapt the gap between the railing and the barriers that rimmed the stands traveling with a rush the extent of the fence, leaving her surrounded by a ring of fire.

It was then that she saw him.

He stood across the vastness of the amphitheatre, a dark figure with hands enveloped by the same blaze as her own. A curtain of fire silhouetted him, and with a shiver she felt the familiar fear and exhilaration that only arose in the presence of the one who controlled the greatest nation in the world with the wave of a hand..A shadow filled with unspeakable power…

She knew who he was. Her rational brain told her his name, his relationship to her. But deep within, a dark relic from primordial times stirred and told her who he really was.

Her adversary, her foe in a conflict as old as the comet above them.

For once her feelings for him had nothing to do with hatred, with contempt for his very existence. In fact, they were quite the opposite. Every sense was awash with ecstasy at the sight of him. Finally, she could expend this energy and assuage the agonizing compulsion to fight that had her body screaming.

This would be a battle for dominance, one in which the combatants had no identity. Under the influence of the comet everything had been stripped away from them, leaving only the bare elements they encompassed. They were no longer Zuko and Azula, prince and princess, brother and sister. They were simply man and woman. Children of fire.

Slowly, deliberately, she approached him, lightning forming a jagged corona around her. She was hypnotized by his answering advance, blind to the meager audience that lingered in the stands. They watched, terrified but transfixed, standing in awe of the might displayed both in the sky above and the earth below.

Many shook with fear at the spectacle before them. If this was the true might of the Fire Nation, who could hope to match it?

Once he was close enough that she could see the heat blazing behind his eyes, a war cry was dragged from the depths of her soul erupted from her lips and simultaneously they charged.

The pair came together in a titanic clash of energy. Red-orange and blue-white flames colliding in a conflagration that for a brief moment turned the night into day. At that point, even the most courageous of the curious onlookers hurriedly departed, thankful to still have their lives in the face of such power.

The explosive collision sent them both flying back. They began trading blows; time seeming to stand still, neither gaining the upper hand, both simply reveling in the euphoria singing in their blood. She was taken aback at how his skill seemed to have grown.

_When did he become so powerful?_

Recoiling from a particularly strong attack, she skidded to a stop. Standing, she drew her arm back while extending her fore and middle fingers before gracefully sending an arching torrent of silver frosted cobalt fire towards him.

He dodged the blow with more grace than she had ever seen from him in any combat prior to this. She had little time or ability to dwell on it though as, crouching low, he immediately drew his fists back and gathered his power into a massive sphere. With a primal roar, he released it in her direction. Stepping into the blast, she formed an arrow with her outstretched arms and hands, just managing to cleave it in two before her.

To her amazement she found herself laughing, the sheer joy of battle thrumming along her veins. She would not be defeated!

The second she could see past the billowing smoke she raced toward him, arms outstretched behind her, blue flames trailing like streamers from her fingertips. Once she was within striking range, she swiftly drew her arms forward and flung the twin torrents at their target. To her delight she saw that he was only able to evade one blow. She stood in place, gearing up for another attack when to her shock a horizontal slice of fire nearly took her head from her shoulders.

She staggered away, eyes filled with the kaleidoscope color of the flames carving the space above her. With no time to waste, she swiftly brought her focus back to him. He was crouched before her, fingers clawing the earth, as he made to rise. A smirk curved her mouth as she was impressed once again with the newfound prowess of her opponent and she immediately resumed her advance. Coming close, so close, only to be brought up short when his lips parted and a stream of pure fire spewed forth. Skidding back she retreated, watching him carefully.

She darted to the side and using her power as an engine and hurtled toward him, determined to wipe that arrogant grin off his face. Instead of fear she saw only a ready anticipation in his expression. Smoke curled around his features and she saw in his eyes that he was waiting for her, crouched once more in expectation.

Then he took her breath away.

In one move, he leapt to his feet and raised his arms, screaming and splitting open the very ground between them, sending viscous gouts of fire flaring up to the heavens under his command. She was stunned. Halted in place by the display of power before her.

Never to be outdone, she tipped her head back, lifted her arms, and called on the aid of the sky above. Blue-white electricity gathered above her splayed fingers. The ball of light and energy growing larger with every breath. She could feel the power flowing into her, filling her until she could hardly contain it. Nothing in her experience had ever felt so good. So wonderful. So magnificent. One thought echoed through her skull.

_This… this must be what it is like to be the Avatar. _

The moment that the connection between her fingers and the ball of lightning was made she hurled the blast at him, her ragged scream drowned out by the monstrous cacophony that issued from the thunderbolt.

She stood triumphant, panting with joy, as she watched the colossal attack streak towards him.

She had won.

Her victory was short lived, however. Using a technique unknown to her, he reached out an arm to the strike and absorbed it. Her mouth dropped open as she watched his body shudder and twist, his head thrown back in apparent agony. It seemed that she was watching him forever yet it was only seconds before she saw the horrific image of her own blast returning to her.

Desperately she tried to avoid the blow but it was too fast, too large. She flipped backwards in an instinctual evasion maneuver and was somewhat successful; still she could not keep from crying out as her body was tossed into the air by the partial impact.

She was floating in darkness. In silence. Then the sensation of moisture hitting her cheeks pulled her back from the edge of… somewhere and she slowly opened her eyes.

She blurrily saw him standing above her and for a second the absurd thought that he was crying floated across her consciousness. Tendrils of steam rose from his skin and she realized ones from her own body were joining them. Then she tilted her eyes up to the sky and saw that it was not tears she had felt but rain.

The heavens were dark once again. The comet had passed.

She felt weak, ill, head swimming, flesh stinging, her body racked with painful tremors. Awareness that he had defeated her was bitter on her tongue. Her gaze drifted back to his face and their eyes met.

Brother and sister once more.

Fin


	2. Him

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**Him**

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The morning air crackled with static and a whisper of change was on the wind. Knowledge of something big was rooted in the plants. And when the wind blew, and one blade of grass brushed up against another, that knowledge was passed along, from grass to shrub to mighty oak tree, until the entire world was humming.

Zuko had awakened early. Having no meetings, he had planned to have a peaceful morning without the Dai Li or any general's reports. But as he stood and slipped on his robe, he felt a shiver of impatience that would not allow him to stand still. He stepped to the window and opened it, letting the soft glow of morning to filter in.

He looked to the sky, but there was no visible sign. Yet he could feel it. It was everywhere, all around him. Today was the day, the day to finally win this war. The wind tousled his hair and maybe he could have heard it murmur its agreement of change, had he not been so deep in thought.

_Today is the day the Avatar will die._

As the day went on he became more and more restless. He could focus on nothing but the tiny pinpricks of energy just under his skin. Unable to sit still, he returned to his room and began pacing over the vast stone tiles. The sun dipped below the horizon and signaled the return of the long awaited harbinger of battle, pulling it up over the opposite hill and ever closer in its great celestial dance. The blood pounded before the young prince's eyes and he steadied himself on the wooden bedpost, ignoring his fear that it would turn to ash at his touch. His robes were smothering him, the heat mounting, and he quickly abandoned all but his pants.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, twisting his fingers in the moss green sheets. Every second, every grain of sand falling past and slipping away, he could feel the tension building. It was as if his whole body had become super-sensitive, feeling everything around him, inside him. Every heartbeat pumping white-hot fire through his veins. He tilted his head back, letting a low groan escape his lips.

_So hot. Why is it so hot?_

He expected to see the vast expanse of sky above him, the comet hurtling straight towards him, heating up his blood until he could hardly stand it anymore. But instead his eyes were met with only the ornate ceiling, the weight of the palace crushing down on him, suffocating him. He let out a strangled gasp, and clenched his fingers tighter as a shudder went through his body.

_Oh gods, what is happening to me?_

He knew he could no longer stay here. He had to get outside.

The cool evening air brought some relief, as water would to a parched traveler, but it could not quench his thirst for long. He started walking, but he took no notice, his feet following some predetermined path, just as the comet continued on a preset course of its own. He again tipped his head back, his eyes automatically drawn towards it. It was a mere smudge across the sky, like a painting abandoned after a single brushstroke. Everything around him appeared to be tranquil, but he was not fooled. He could still hear the fire roaring in his ears.

His hands trembled, and he set them aflame to try and diffuse some of the tension. He had not expected such an astonishing response, but it was overwhelming. The sheer elation caused his steps to falter and he shivered despite the intense heat. Yet it only added to the anxiety. Adrenaline surged through his body, his breathing getting heavier.

He increased his pace, licks of flame caressing his bare arms. Before he even realized his destination, he had reached it. The large amphitheater loomed just ahead of him, with only a few stairs separating him from it. A breeze, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, tousled his hair as he took the first footstep. His hands automatically reached out for the wooden railings to guide him up the narrow steps, and they immediately burst into flame.

Framed by fire, he slowly ascended the worn steps as hundreds had done so many times before and hundreds would do after. But even all the battles of rock and stone could not shake the earth like what was about to take place that night.

The arena was now ringed with fire that had jumped easily from the railings to the wooden barriers surrounding it. He stepped forward into the enormous battle field, ignoring the curtains of flame on either side of him and the few spectators beyond them. He finally came to a stop, but felt no closer to relief. If possible, he felt more restless than before. The fire danced in his palms, and his heart pounded furiously in his chest.

It was then that he saw her.

Her ebony hair billowed in the wind and blue fire writhed around her clenched fists. His sister stood in the center of the arena as if waiting for him. A grin pulled at his lips.

_Finally, a worthy opponent._

The comet passing overhead left them exposed to who they really were, what was embedded deeper than any ties of blood or loyalty, no longer brother and sister, but man and woman, children of fire.

This was where his path had taken him. He could at last use his pent up energy. The very idea stretched the grin across his face. He felt a need, an urge to fight anchored deep inside his very core. Something he could not explain, much less try to stop, even if he had wanted to.

Slowly, she stepped towards him, and he felt his own feet echo her advance. He kept his eyes trained on her, watching, waiting. Lightning danced around her, casting her brief glimpses of her shadows, harsh and elongated onto the scorching earth. She took another step forward and seemed to pause on the balls of her feet, like panther waiting to strike. Then with a fierce cry, she ran towards him at full speed, triggering something within him to run, run, as well. With hands swathed in fire, he charged. They met in the center of the arena, crashing together with a violent burst of energy that sent them both flying backwards. Any onlookers that earlier were brave enough to linger, now fled, fearful of the pure, raw power emanating from the stadium below.

The attacks continued, neither side making any significant advance. He had been training mercilessly, using his time to practice while she had been searching for the Avatar, and it had allowed him significant improvement. Now, skill matched skill. Any spectators brave enough to approach at this point would have thought this a battle lasting all of eternity, two poor ravaged souls destined to fight for all of time, their figures etched into the very stars looking down on them now.

Standing apart from him with fingers sparking, she pulled her arm back as if drawing an imaginary bow. He did not see her move, stepping forward and thrusting out her arm, he only saw the bright, blue-white jagged streak of fire arcing towards him. In an instant, he had crouched low to the ground, the sheer energy from the attack passing over his head causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end.

From his crouched position with hands aflame, he leapt forward and launched a vast sphere of fire in the direction of his foe, a primal cry ripping at his throat. She must have blocked his attack; he could hear her laughter spiraling upwards from behind the curtain of smoke, and a smile tugged at his lips. She always found amusement in battle, and for once his thoughts echoed hers. Letting go of every restraint he had ever cast on himself - It felt wonderful. The smoke had cleared and he saw that she was still standing, but only for an instant. The next, she was running towards him yet again and he readied himself to defend.

She ran with her arms angled low and behind her, blue flames jumping in her palms, as if clamoring for escape. When she got close enough that he could see the smirk splayed across her face, she swept her arms upwards, sending two jets of blue fire directly at him. He dodged the first, but the second caught his shoulder and he went down. In the back of his mind he knew he should have felt pain, but every fiber of his being was focused on battle.

She now stood in front of him, poised and ready to attack. From his position flat on his back he swept his arm forward, launching a sheet of flames directly towards her, thin and sharp. She stumbled backwards, arching her head back and exposing her neck to the sky as the fire sliced the air directly above her head.

He used this opportunity to roll over, attempting to push off of the ground to regain his footing, however she recovered faster than expected and he could see her advancing once more. She was close, close enough for him to feel the intense heat radiating from her body. From his crouched position on the ground, he opened his mouth. And breathed fire. He slowly stood, topaz eyes glittering and smoke curling around his upturned lips. The Dragon of the West has risen once more.

He crouched low to the ground, digging his fingernails into the dirt below him, head whipping around to search for his prey. He saw her coming towards him at unimaginable speed, blue flames propelling her forward. He exhaled, snorting smoke.

_What took you so long?_

He planted his feet and lifted his arms skyward in one swift motion, a fierce battle cry leaving his lips. The flames were almost not flames at all, tugged upward, taught and rigid as if being pulled by the gods. The jagged spires split the very earth below them, spreading along the ground and diverging as if on their own accord, leaving rough battle scars in their wake. The wounds were narrow, but deep, and he pulled the molten magma out from within, drawing the blood of the earth up to meet the night air. And somewhere on the edge of consciousness he realized what it was like to be the Avatar.

After the echoes of his scream had long since left his ragged throat, he lowered his arms, scanning the arena once more. His chest heaved, and he felt with every breath that he might just explode. Blue streaks of lightning leaped across the clouds and he followed them with his eyes. She was standing with her head tilted back and arms reaching for the heavens. The lightning was converging at a point far above her head that was growing ever brighter. He stood transfixed; she was a goddess of fire, wielding powers far greater than he had ever imagined possible by any mortal. The lighting circling above her cast her features into eerie, angular shadows and the glow emanating from the sky over her head seemed almost unbearable, but he kept his eyes on her. In an instant, the lightning struck down to her outstretched fingertips, only to be directed straight towards him with an earsplitting crack.

He thrust out his arm, perhaps a technique he had learned on a mountain a long time ago, but now a technique of survival. He almost recoiled from the sheer force of the lighting striking his fingers, but he held steady. It happened in an instant, but time seemed to slow into non existence. The lightning coursing through his body was like nothing he could have ever imagined. He felt as if he were being split in two, the lightning carving intricate patterns into his flesh. It seemed as if his very bones were being cleaved in half. The electricity sent a shockwave through him, and his body convulsed violently, his mouth open in wordless protest. It took all his strength to direct the blast back the way it had come.

His chest ached, and spots danced before his eyes before he felt stable enough for his body to comply with the simple task of moving forward. His shaking hands were no longer sheathed in flame, and he felt as if he'd only just stepped into his skin. As he slowly walked, he could hear the crackling of the fire around him, smell the smoke climbing to the heavens, and see with unaided eyes once more. And feel. He could feel the rain. It started slowly and increased steadily, the cool raindrops feeling like ice against his burning skin. The steam rose off of his exposed flesh and the heated earth that he now walked over, creating a dull hiss.

He looked up, as he had done so many times before, the raindrops now pelting his face; the morning seemed like an eternity ago.

The comet had passed.

She was lying unmoving on the rough ground as he approached, dragging his feet. He stopped and stood over her, wondering how in Agni's name she could have remained in one piece. Still breathing. Her eyes slowly blinked open, staring up at the sky. Rivulets of water slid down his bare arms, pooling at his fingertips before dropping down to earth. He watched the raindrops splash on her face and run down her cheeks, almost as is she were crying. His eyes moved to hers their gaze finally met.

Brother and sister once more.

Fin

We would both love to know what you think! So please review! Thank you!


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